UG gears for development through collaboration with int’l university

Jun 19, 2013 News

The Administration of the University of Guyana (UG) is gearing to enhance the capacities of staff and students through partnership with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) of the United Kingdom.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the universities yesterday signaling the commitment to improve the qualifications of UG’s lecturers; create a student exchange programme; establish a physical centre; and the hosting of an international conference in Guyana.
Officials present at the signing of the agreement held in the Education Lecture Theatre include UG’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Phillip Da Silva, Pro- Chancellor Prem Misir, Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Emmanuel Cummings, Dean of Social Sciences Paloma Mohammed; and UCLAN’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Dave Phoenix, Dean of School of Built and Natural Environment Professor Akintola Akintoye, and Professor of Physiology and Research Degree Tutor, Jaipaul Singh.
According to Phoenix, the first batch of UK students is expected to arrive in Guyana next year on a study tour. Meanwhile, staff development is expected later in the year, depending on the support of Governments, who have already indicated their interests in adult education and sustainability. He sees the MOU as an opportunity to develop both counties.
Without providing in-depth details of the agreement, Professor Opadeyi said it has been in the making for several months and seeks to benefit both countries. He described the MOU as a meaningful plan that is expected to bear fruit within the next five years.
Instrumental in this initiative is Singh, a former student of UG during the early days. Because he was forced to leave Guyana to study abroad, Singh wants to provide students who cannot afford higher education abroad, a similar quality of education locally.
According to Dr. Cummings, UG has many lecturers who are in need of further training. The MOU provides the opportunity for lecturers to qualify themselves, while continuing to educate students on campus. From time to time the lecturers would have to travel to the UK as required for their studies for Master’s Degrees.
Providing an insight into the student exchange programme, Da Silva said it focuses on enriching student life for both universities. Students from UCLAN would have the opportunity to conduct field research in Guyana while UG students would also conduct studies in UK.
Mohammed, who is responsible for organizing the international conference in 18 months, said that the conference would be in keeping with UG’s 50th Anniversary. It is expected to either be held during the latter part of 2014 or early 2015. Its focus will be on Guyana’s ongoing environmental works.
Speaking on the creation of the centre that is expected to see the materialization of the other aspects of the agreement was Professor Akintoye.
The centre will focus on sustainability and innovation. The sustainability aspect will look at ongoing development of the main resources in Guyana. And, for innovation an important subject area would be society’s interaction with the environment. It would allow other faculties to work together to address issues affecting Guyana such as climate change.

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UG gears for development through collaboration with int’l university

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